Several stories claim that petrified human giants were discovered in the early 1900s in places like South Dakota and New Mexico. One article from South Dakota Magazine describes a “petrified man” found near the Badlands in 1936, reportedly over 12 feet tall. Another article on Vocal Media claims that workers digging an irrigation ditch near Cuba, New Mexico, in 1902 found a 12-foot-long skeleton, with “massive” bones that were supposedly examined by experts. Both articles raise the idea that such discoveries were either covered up or dismissed without proper investigation. I want to know: are these actual historical finds, or are they examples of local folklore or hoaxes?
Text excerpts:
“In 1936, a large, human-shaped rock was discovered near Reva, South Dakota. It measured more than 12 feet long. Locals believed it to be a petrified giant and named it ‘Petrified Joe.’”
— South Dakota Magazine
“A massive skeleton was found in Cuba, New Mexico in 1902. Workers said it was 12 feet tall. A local physician was said to have examined the bones before they mysteriously disappeared.”
— Vocal Media – Giants of New Mexico
